The Health Minister has warned Hospital Consultants not to be critics of the health service, but to be advocates for it.

Addressing their annual conference in Tullamore Leo Varadkar told delegates that being a consultant in a public hospital is a full time job - and consultants shouldn't have time for private practice outside normal working hours.

He also pointed out that Irish doctors see fewer patients on average than their European peers - but conceded there may be a good reason for it.

Minister Varadkar says he'll support Consultants calls for another funding increase in budget 2016.

President of the IHCA Dr Gerard Crotty says it's badly needed: